Gwen and the X-men
by Bonwee
Summary: Non-cannon wolverine and the X-men fanfic. Gwen is a student at the Jean Grey School for higher learning, Kurt, Cyclops, Jean, and Quentin are too. This is the story of her trials growing up and falling in and out of love. This story uses different aspects from all the X-men genres, tv, movies, comics, read and review please!
1. Chapter 1

I held the pillow against my chest, I was sleeping in his room tonight, I only slept here when he was out on a dangerous mission and, well, I've been sleeping here a lot lately. I'm a 16 year old girl who's way too emotionally attached to her boyfriend, not like overly attached, he's just the first thing in a long time that was good for me. Kurt's pillow smelled like his cologne and brimstone.

I pulled the blankets around me tighter. I couldn't sleep, Kurt wouldn't tell me what he was doing, but I heard the others whispering in the hallways at school. They were going to Sinister's lair to get back the mutant DNA samples that had been stolen for his dastardly research. But there was always the threat of the mutant virus, there was no cure, if someone got it, there was no way they would live. I didn't try to hold in the tears of fear. Alone, in his room, I could give into the worry. I heard a *Bamf* and smelled brimstone. I sat up and wiped my eyes,

"Kurt?" He touched my face gently.

"Oh, little Gwendolyn, why have you been crying?" He sat down on the bed and I hugged him. I buried my face in the front of his black and red uniform.

"I was so worried about you, my little elf." I kissed his cheek and giggled as his blue fur tickled my face.

"Meine Liebe," he stroked my hair behind my ear. "You have nothing to be worried about." He changed out of his uniform and into a pair of athletic shorts; it was funny looking because of his tail swinging out behind him. He worked on his homework for a little bit while we talked about what he did during his mission. I noticed he held his shoulder like it hurt a couple of times but that could have just been me seeing things.

He jumped onto the bed and plopped down beside me, shaking the bed. He put his arm around me and just looked into my eyes. He didn't have any telepathic powers but sometimes I swear he can read my mind. I sighed and went to stand up.

"I have to get up early tomorrow," Kurt frowned.

"You could stay here, this bed is big enough for two."

Kurt and I's love life is none of your concern. But just for the sake of decency, I will tell you that my physical relationship with Kurt stopped at us sleeping in the same bed together, nothing more.

"Kurt, may I remind you of the school's rules on interaction in the rooms between students after hours." Yes, we are both students at The Jean Grey School for Higher Learning he's a senior while I am a junior. I rubbed my eyes and saw Scott Summers with his arms crossed glaring down at us. I pulled the blankets around me tighter, Scott graduated early and now he's a teacher's assistant.

"Cyclops, you are _barely_ older than I am," Kurt pulled a shirt on getting ready for class, I should probably do that too, but I would have to get back to my room. "How'd you even get in my room?"

"Get ready for class, Gwen," I jumped up and ran out of the room, Scott scared me with his anal retentive ways. I was a mutant, but it wasn't like in that obvious of a way, not like Kurt, but sometimes I wish I was. I ran into my room and changed for class. My roommate, Celeste, groaned and covered her face with her arm.

"Get up, Celeste," I shook her shoulder.

"Maiṁ jaba maiṁ yaha kī taraha laga rahā hai," I nodded like I hadn't understood her exact words.

"Get up anyway, because you can't miss class." I zipped up the side of my skirt and tucked in my vintage print t-shirt. I liked dressing nicely; it made me feel good about myself. I stepped out of my room and Kurt appeared in front of me with a cloud of smoke.

"Guten Morgen," He grabbed my hand, "Go for a before class trip to New York? We could get a Papaya dog," he suggested playfully bumping against my shoulder.

"Sorry, I have to go run and grab a book for Mr. LeBeau's sex-ed class and I need to finish up a paper for Professor Guthrie's class and—" Kurt kissed me so I would have to take a breath.

"Relax, it's almost summer break, and then I'll have you all to myself!" He laughed and ran with me down to the courtyard.

It was true, he had no family in the states, and my family had disowned me, like I was contagious as soon as they realized I was a mutant.

Kurt waved his three-fingered hand in front of my face. I blinked. "What?" I had spaced out for a second as we were walking under the flowering trees Krakoa was growing for the summer. I reached up and grabbed a handful of petals.

"You were so far away I couldn't have teleported to you. What were you thinking about?" I shrugged. I leaned up against the wall of the school and watched Kurt as he turned on his holographic projector to make him look like everyone else.

"Nothing," I grabbed the front of his shirt and he pressed up against me. I loved the feeling of his lips on mine; I just could never get enough.

"_Belle Femme_, Kurt, is a dangerous thing. Shouldn't da two of ya be in muh classroom now? Learning 'bout all sorts of unsavory things I know you two haven't yet engaged in." Kurt pulled away from me and I felt my cheeks flush under Gambit's comment. I rushed into his classroom and sat down at my desk.

"Have I told you how ironic it is that Gambit is teaching this class?" Kurt said, leaning on the back of my chair. A pack of his friends came stalking in, bleary-eyed and tired.

They ambled over to him and I was forgotten. Kid Omega swaggered in and dropped his books with a loud thunck. I flipped through my textbook, sometimes I felt just as alone here as I did back home even with Kurt standing right next to me.


	2. Chapter 2

My head nodded slightly and jolted back up, I had to study more for my art of fighting without fighting class. I rubbed my temples; I didn't want to tell Jean or Xavier that I was glitching with my abilities. I could handle it, I was taught well enough. I put my forehead down on my book. The library was empty except for Doop and me. My table light fluttered with my fatigue.

_Kurt? _I reached out to him with my mind.

**_Yes, are you ready to go to bed?_**

_I still need to study, maybe, I need a good grade._

**_You have been cramming for two days, you need a break. I haven't seen you for longer than that. _**My head drooped again and this time the light bulb crackled and burnt out. **_I'm coming to get you, be there in a few seconds._**

_Um, I can get back to my room by myself; you don't have to come here. _I put my stuff back into my bag and walked into the dark hallway. I saw Celeste making out with a guy in one of the reading alcoves, her body was glowing like usual.

Celeste Montgomery's mutant ability was that she was bioluminescent; great stripper ability and a fabulous boy attractant. Someone took my hand. I sent out a mental probe and realized it was Kurt. I stepped on my shoelace and tripped a little, he got down on his knees to tie it, and for some reason that made me mad,

"Ich kann binde meine eigenen Schuhe!" (_I cantie myown shoes_) I snapped. Kurt's face was full of shock.

"Did you just speak German?" I shrugged, my temples were pulsing.

"Ich will einfach nur schlafen gehen." (I just want to go to sleep)Kurt looked concerned now.

"Let's go see Professor X," I shook my head.

"Kümmern Sie sich nicht ihn," (Do not worry about it) I started to walk away but Kurt grabbed me and teleported me to Professor X's office.

"Good evening Gwen, Kurt," I pulled away from Kurt and apologized to Professor X, in German.

"Is something wrong with your powers?" He rolled over to me and took my hand. He reached into my subconscious.

"Professor, I'm sorry Kurt came in here and bothered you, I'm fine, really, just tired."

"Gwendolyn, your powers have continued to manifest since you arrived at school; and since you refuse to come to Dr. McCoy's exams, and it is an invasion of privacy to dive into your subconscious without your consent, we cannot help you unless you let someone in." I fought his mind and it hurt, it hurt so terribly. He broke the connection. I stumbled backwards and Kurt caught me, I ran my hand under my nose, it was dripping, my sleeve came back stained in red.

"Es tut mir leid Prof..." I fell to the floor.

"Nothing I try is getting through to her; I don't know what is wrong." I heard Dr. McCoy tell someone, frustrated.

"Where's Kurt? He was here earlier." Jubilee asked. She was helping Beast in return for his help with her… vampire problem.

"I had to send the lad to his room, he hadn't slept in days; he looked like death wormed over."

"Kurt," I whispered, I had treated him terribly, he was just trying to help me. I opened my eyes open and blinked; the florescent bulbs hurt my eyes.

"Gwendolyn, welcome back!" Beast patted my hand and I rubbed my eyes.

"What happened?" I pulled myself up into a sitting position.

"Your wires got crossed," Jubilee chirped.

"Huh?"

"What Jubilation means is your abilities went a little haywire because you hadn't slept in over three days."

"I have Final Exams!" I tried to get out of the bed but I was stopped by the Doctor.

"No, consider yourself exempt from exams for the summer."

"But I studied so hard!"

"You need to relax, take the summer to just vedge out in the sun, spend time with your friends," Jubilee laughed. Kurt *bamfed* into the infirmary; he hugged me tightly. He held on to me for longer than I expected, but I felt his shoulders shake a little.

"Elf, why are you crying?" I whispered in his ear, I could feel his tears on my neck.

"I was so worried…" I kissed him gently. He stood up and pulled the hem of his button up shirt down nervously, remembering that there were teachers around us.

"Doctor McCoy, can you discharge Gwen now?" His tail twitched nervously. Hank McCoy looked me sternly in eyes.

"Take it easy, girl, or we will keep you chained to that bed." I nodded and Kurt pulled me up.

"Thank you," Kurt said as he hugged me to him so we could teleport.


	3. Chapter 3

"Kurt?" I sat up in the bed. I don't know what was wrong, but I kept picking up everyone's thoughts and dreams again while I was sleeping.

"Yes, Meine Lieben?" He turned around in his desk chair.

"Nothing, sorry," I pulled the blankets around me more. He shut his laptop and sat down next to me.

"You can tell me anything, you know that," I chewed my lip thoughtfully. I touched his furry blue cheek; he held my hand there for a moment.

"I thought maybe we could go to the city, or something tomorrow, since I don't have to take exams anymore." He smiled, trying to believe that was all that was on my mind. I wouldn't even try to let him talk to me through my mind tonight; I didn't want to trouble him.

"Sure, we can do that." He kissed my cheek and jumped on the other side of the bed. I snuggled up under his chin and breathed in his presence.

"I love you, Gwendolyn, I promise you, forever."

"I love you, too," I took a deep breath and tried to fall asleep.

Kurt and I's relationship transcended mere infatuation, I know that's cliché considering we are teenagers and all, but when mutants are considered a different species away from human, the bonds created are stronger and closer between the outsiders. I could get in his head and show him my thoughts, we could carry on conversations across campus, he would teleport me anywhere I wanted to go, and hold me tight at night when I needed him most. But I knew it was only a matter of time until Kurt found someone new, he's an attractive, funny, intelligent mutant, whose friends really don't understand my powers of linguistics. I would savor my time with Kurt anyway for as long as I had him.

"Is something wrong?" Kurt asked me. I looked up at his holographically covered face. He touched my hand with his fake five-fingered one; I resisted the urge to pull away. We were sitting outside a little coffee shop in the city and his friends had come along with us.

"Nothing," I smiled. Scott was talking to Jean about his classes and I saw Peter Rasputin and Headmistress Pryde getting cozy in the corner. I just wanted to be able to see my boyfriend as he really is, because that is the man I love, not this phony cover he has to wear to hide from the mutant haters. I scraped my chair back against the flagstone floor. Kurt had turned around for a second to talk to someone, I took a step back to the table but then his friends grabbed him and pulled him out of the coffee shop to go somewhere else, he looked back and gestured for me to come with them but I just shook my head.


	4. Chapter 4

"So what brought on this sudden change?" Hank asked as he put the cranial monitor around my head. I had decided that since Kurt and the others were still in town, I would get Hank to define my powers. It would be easier to contain them that way, so after a twenty minute cab ride and ten minute walk, I was back at the school.

"I didn't want to start busting light bulbs when I'm tired." He nodded absently as he watched the results on his computer screens.

"What are you searching to find my powers?" He started spurting out words that sounded sorta like English…

"—And then we'll have your results and powers all in one convenient page." I nodded like I understood. Sometimes, just because I have a way with languages, doesn't mean I understand everything Hank says.

"Is it working?" his eyes were glued to the read outs. He nodded absently.

"Interesting…" Hank grabbed up the printed paper and smiled.

"What is it?" I craned my neck to see the results.

"My dear Gwendolyn, you have most amazing powers."

"Like what, Dr. McCoy?"

"You're a telepath, Psychometric—"

"What's that, Psychometric?"

"You can tell the history of any person who has touched an object, any object."

"I don't think I have that," I hadn't ever done that.

"Are you drawn to antiques, vintage objects? It's your subconscious wanting to expand on this power."

"Oh, continue," I was surprised; I didn't even know that was like a thing.

"You own an adaptive mutation, so you can adapt to whatever situation you find yourself in, that's where you're lingual skills come in. If you need to speak a different language, or understand it, you can, along with a myriad of other adaptions."

"That's actually pretty cool; I didn't know I had all those powers!" I pulled off the equipment I had connected to me. "Thanks Doctor McCoy!" I started for the door, but stopped.

"Is there something else you need, Gwendolyn?"

"May I have a copy of that sheet, to show my friends?" Maybe that would show them I was worth dating for Kurt.

"Of course, of course, here." He handed me a sheet of paper and ran off.

I walked out to the garden and looked over the paper again, there were a few different readouts but at the bottom there was a list of my abilities, it didn't look as impressive as a list of three.

"What's that?" Quentin Quire plucked the paper from my hands and glanced over it.

"Give it back!"

"I didn't know you had this in you, I just knew you were a mediocre telepath." He shrugged and tossed the paper to me. I pushed past him to go see if Kurt was back.

"Meine Liebe, what do you have there?" Kurt asked me as he sat down beside me. I folded the paper up quickly and put it in my book. I was sitting under a flowering tree waiting on Kurt to find me, he always did.

"Nothing, just my results from Dr. McCoy's test," I shrugged, trying to play it cool. He grabbed the list out of my book and flipped it open. He read it quickly.

"This is awesome! These powers are amazing. You're amazing," I shrugged. I would ask to start training them over the summer. Kurt pulled me up to my feet.

"What are you doing?" He smiled, but he was still his hologram self.

"We're going to tell the others!" I held back.

"Um, maybe later." He looked at me for a second.

"About what happened in town…"

"What do you mean?"

"My friends swamped me and left you out, I'm really sorry about that." I shrugged.

"s'okay, I guess, I mean… I don't know what I mean."

"Oh, Gwen, I promise, next time, it'll just be you and me, we have the whole summer." I smiled, trying to placate his guilt.

"Okay, my elf." I picked up my library book and paused.

_I don't even care about this class. I don't know why Dr. McCoy is making us study this._

_I twist my hair around my fingers and flirt with the boy across the table from me. I feel my skin warm as the glow starts._

_"Celeste?" I look up, the weird kid who thinks he can run fast is standing in front of me._

"Liebe? What's wrong? Do we need to go to Dr. McCoy?"

"Nothing, just something to do with my powers."

"You're the best girlfriend ever." He turned off his holographic projector and I hugged him.


	5. Chapter 5

I was lying in the grass by the statue of Marvel Girl. Not that I was hiding from Kurt, I just needed a little time to breathe, he's been trying to get me to start working with his group of friends in the Danger Room. I just don't really have any battle skills yet. I sat out the bag of lost and found items. This is my favorite power; I can read the pasts of the objects I hold. Their owners will come back to school and find their glasses, video games… I pick up the pair of boxers, gross, and toss them away; I'm not going to find their owner. At the bottom of the box, I find the object I want to start with; it's almost like it's calling to me. A cross made out of silver, tiny and plain, I pick it up.

_I'm a monster, it is plain to see. My sin is blatant when I use my curse. Fire and Ice._

"Idie," I stood up and went to find her, Miss Okonkwo thinks herself to be damned, it's actually really sad. But the surer she is of her damnation, the happier she becomes, which really is strange.

Feeling that utter self-loathing, it scared me. She hates what she is that much… it frightened me.

I hurriedly put the cross in an envelope and sat it in the box. I was done for today. I put the rest of the junk back in the box and stashed it in the bushes around the statute. I pinpointed Kurt's mind, he was Bamfing everywhere, trying to find me.

I decided to walk to the roof of the school. The last few days Kurt had been smothering me with attention, I know he's feels bad when he leaves me somewhere and goes off with his friends, but this is crazy.

I closed the door with a gentle click.

"Who am I?" I heard a boy ask, he was sitting on the ledge of the roof, looking out over the grounds.

"Is this a rhetorical question?"

"What?" the poor boy turned to look at me, his smooth black hair almost covered his piercing blue eyes, I saw the black line run from his jawlines to meet on his black lips.

"You asked who you were, I was curious if I could answer."

"Are you a mind reader or something?"

"Ya, but I wanted to try to use my other powers to find out who you are. You are new, right? I haven't seen you around." I sat down next to him.

"I just came here from Kansas, and how would you figure out who I am without reading my mind."

"I don't know for sure, but I think I can do it by just holding something you have one you, like a pen or a watch or a bracelet or something." He paused for a moment.

"Would a shoe work? I don't really hold anything unnecessary." I nodded and he pulled off one of his boots. I took it in my hands.

"_Evan, you are kind, special and smart, don't you ever forget that." My mother was dabbing the blood off of my lip, the kids at school had beaten me up for looking funny. I didn't want to hurt them, so I hadn't fought back._

_"Momma, why do the other kids hate me because I look different?"_

_"They just don't understand you, maybe you could try again tomorrow, and make one friend, and then that one friend can turn into the class being your friend, can you try for mommy? You are very special." She had kissed my forehead._

_"Okay, I'll try."_

_"That's my good boy, Evan," she stood up to get me a snack._

"Your name is Evan." He looked amazed.

"How'd you find that out? You had to have read my mind," I shook my head.

"All out of this shoe, I can see memories and I guess when I train it well enough, I'll be able to see the entire history of all the people who ever came into contact with this."

"That's cool… I guess that my only power is being weird looking right now."

"That's a cool power, too." I joked. Kurt was getting closer to me, I smelled brimstone.

"Meine Liebe? Are you up here?" Kurt saw me and walked over. "Who is your friend?"

I looked over at Evan, there was such loss, such sadness and loneliness in his aura.

"This is Evan, he's from Kansas."

Evan gave me a small smile.

"We'll be back in time for dinner; it's just a little dispute in the South West, leicht." I hugged Kurt once more before he bamfed onto the Black Bird.

Today was our one year anniversary and he had to go on an emergency mission to collect some rogue mutants who were causing trouble.

I walked to the library. We had a few days until school started. I was meeting the new students, there was a sweet little brood, Broo, was his name, I sat down by him at a table in the library.

"Good afternoon, Gwendolyn, any success in finding a suitable moniker for your crime-fighting days?"

"Hey, and no, I just don't have an awesome power that deserves a crazy-cool name." I had kept it low about my reactive adaption, I kept trying to use it, but nothing worked. I stuck to my Psychometry.

"Psychometry, it's a very rare gift, and very interesting, I must admit, I'd like to spend an afternoon traveling with you around the school." He turned the page in his book. His pointy teeth were the scariest thing about him yet I couldn't look away from them when he spoke.

"Thank you, have you seen Evan around? Or Quentin?" I had, much to Kurt's chagrin, become close friends with possibly the most opposite of boys. Evan: sweet, kind, quiet and Quentin: Rebellious, hot-headed, omega-level powered telepath with an authority problem.

"I believe that Evan in walking in the garden, Krakoa has grown some especially beautiful diamonds. Friend Quentin Quire is trying to stage a riot in the lunch room, again."

"Thanks. See you at dinner?" He nodded absently. I went to find Evan.

_Evan? Are you busy?_

**_Gwen? No, I'm not busy; do you want me to meet you somewhere? Or do you want to play hide and seek?_**

Evan had been helping me expand my powers, we would play hide and seek, he would touch objects all over the school, which could mean a lot of dead ends and a lot of stuff to try and read. But I had made it so I just had to dull my other senses and just follow the trail of objects that stuck out, sometimes they would sing, or weep, speak, or whisper. With Kurt being a full time member of the X-men now, I rarely got to see him.

Evan and I had been playing this game a lot lately.

_Sure! Where do I start?_

**_Let's see… Start with the Jean Grey Statue._**

"So what are you and Kurt doing for your anniversary?" Evan always knew what questions I needed to be asked.

"I really don't know, Evan, what if he meets someone else, out on one of his missions?"

"I think…" He left off.

"What?"

"I've been told that I should always be honest, but now I don't think I should be…"

"Go ahead, its okay."

"Well, I think if he does meet someone, he'll have a hard time finding someone as great as you are. But, if he does meet someone else, it was meant to be, and he's a huge idiot Elf." I nodded. That was the cold truth. I sighed and closed my eyes. I was trying to concentrate on something.

"What are you trying to do?" I opened my eyes to a world of different colors. Humans glowed a pale gold, their clothes varied with their feelings towards them, but it was the _things_ I was concentrating on. Evan's boots were a bright red; he was very attached to them. I blinked and my vision was back to normal.

"Nothing, just taking a breath."

"Are you worried about school starting?" Evan asked. I stood up and dusted off my pants.

"No, but I was wondering if you would want to go to the Danger Room with me today?"

"Um, I guess, what did you want to do in there?"

"Try to get my adaptive mutations to work."

"Sounds fun; let me go grab my jacket from my room."

"Meet me at the doors to the Danger Room in like… ten minutes?"

"See ya!"


	6. Chapter 6

I was wearing the regular uniform that the school provided us all. Evan never wore anything besides his usual black jacket and pants.

_Yo! Junk-Girl, where are you? You're about to miss the riot over the school food. If you don't get over here to see it, I'm gonna bring it to you._

**_Quire, you know Professor Rachel monitors the psychic transmissions. And why would I bother getting in trouble the week before classes start? Really, for an omega-level mutant, you sure don't use that super-human intellect you're so proud about._**

I knew how to press his buttons.

_Touché. Well then I guess, since you are so against rioting, I'll have to see you around somewhere, maybe when I take over the school and make you my slave?_

**_Gotta go, bye, Quentin, don't burn down the school when you take it over, I need some where to sleep._**

_I'll try to keep the mass destruction to a minimum._

"What program are we going to do?" Evan asked, jamming his hands in his pockets.

"I don't know; the safety's still work right? Dr. McCoy fixed them, didn't he?" Evan shrugged. Suddenly I felt very daring. "Either way, it's time for my mutated genes to earn their keep, right? You go into the control booth and set up a program that looks fun and dangerous." He nodded and I entered the empty room.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'd been researching adaptive mutation, I was pretty much Darwin, an old x-man, but I needed to figure out when I used it. A song started playing,

"Evan? What are you doing?"

He spoke through the audio system. "It's just music attached to it, wait for the program to start." I felt heat radiate from the walls, my heart hammered in my chest. I opened my eyes just as a flaming meteor careened towards me, I felt my skin grow, it was becoming extremely hard, I watched as it quickly turned into rock like armor, protecting me from the extreme heat.

"Woh," I couldn't really bend my fingers, but I was a beast, the rock slammed into me and threw me across the room into the wall.

"You okay?" Evan asked. I raised one hand and tried to make a thumbs up, "I'll take that as an 'ok'."

The temperature changed, it was cold, and I felt water soak my feet, the Danger room was simulating the Arctic Ocean. I felt the hard heat-protecting armor transform into scales and I grew gills. Breathing underwater was easy. I swam up the ceiling. Evan brought up the next situation.

This one I didn't know what was going on.

I saw my uniform turn into a long evening dress, I was in a room filled with dignitaries, I understood what they were all saying, but every one of them was in a different language.

"What am I supposed to do?" I yelled to Evan.

"I dunno, I didn't plan the program."

"Great," I walked to an old man and he started a conversation with me in Czech.

I felt something was going on and it involved me. I turned around and saw a man pointing a gun at me. I looked around, the old man was his target, I knew that much. I had to take the bullet. I froze time, _I can do that?_ I felt a shimmer down my skin, I had a thin exoskeleton of bio-metallic armor. The bullet would ricochet, killing someone else. The bullet crept towards me, ever speeding up. I could become gelatinous, no, the bullet would still go through me. I decided to just use my body. My regular body, the safeties were on, right?

The bullet hit me in the shoulder. That's all I remember.

"She's manifested an accelerated healing factor, so she'll be fine in a few minutes." I yawned.

I had really gotten shot?

"Dr. McCoy, did I really get shot?" He tossed me a vial with a bullet fragment.

"Sadly yes, I am terribly sorry; I thought I had fixed the safeties for student access…" Beast said full of remorse.

"Am I going to be okay?"

"Oh yes, you're adaptive mutations are quiet diverse. You'll be fine, not even a scar." I touched my shoulder. Evan was sitting in a chair by my bed, head in hands.

"Hey, Evan, do you want to go get a new shirt with me?" He didn't look up, just shook his head.

"I'm sorry, so sorry." I jumped out of bed, I was really sore. I touched his shoulder, he looked up and saw fire burning in his eyes, I realized then who he looked like.

"Evan, it's not your fault." I pulled him up and waved to Hank, "Hey, Doctor McCoy, can we not tell Kurt of this? I think he wouldn't understand that it was an accident."

"Doctor/Patient confidentiality, Gwen."

"Good, and fix those protocols, not everyone can bounce back like me."

"I promise it will be the first thing I do."

"Good, now c'mon Evan, I'm starving, what are they fixing in the cafeteria?"

"Quentin…" I looked at the walls—spray painted, the floor—covered in gahk, Quire was grumbling and using his telekinesis to make the cleaning supplies do the work. It was like something out of 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice.'

"Oh! Junk-girl, there you are." He grinned and beckoned me closer. "Or do you prefer Garbage Gal?"

"Evan, we'll just go get something to eat from the vending machines. Bye Quire, have fun cleaning your riot up." Glob Herman stalked in with a mop and bucket.

_Why do you let me talk to you like that? _Quentin asked. His omega level powers were phenomenal. We talked telepathically all the time; Rachel wasn't at school very often to monitor our conversations.

**_What do you mean? Junk Girl and Garbage Girl? That stuff? I just don't care._**

_Why not? I would grow tired of people treating me the way I treat others._

**_Maybe you should change that, Quen, and then instead of riots, you could throw killer parties with people who like you._**

_Sounds boring…_

**_Have fun cleaning._**

"Do you do that a lot?" Evan asked as we walked down to the Vending machines.

"Do what?" I rubbed my shoulder. I had peeled off the bandage to show just a tender pale pink circle.

"Talk to Quentin Quire in your mind." He still looked upset about the danger room. I wasn't upset, or even man, or anything, it felt like a game, and now I was fine.

"I guess, kinda, he just interrupts sometimes."

"That's invasive."

"Not really, it's like talking on the phone."

"I'm sorry about in the Danger Room," poor Evan, I hadn't known about him until I saw the fire in his eyes.

"It's not your fault."

"I know… it's just, when I saw the gun, I thought it was like the other parts, and it would make you think it was real and that you could adapt to block it."

"I did, it's just, and that wasn't how I should have reacted to the situation."

"You'll have to tell me about that sometime."

"I will. What program was that?"

"It had your name on it," I popped my change into the slot and pressed the button of the bag of chips I wanted. "Literally."

"Maybe Doctor McCoy made it for me; he was really impressed with my powers."

"I think everyone is." I had been ignoring the memories and names and past and presents of the people who had touched the coins in my hand, and the thoughts of the people who had pressed the buttons of the machine before me. I couldn't ignore the information that the guy who loaded the chips into the machine was cheating on his wife with his wife's ugly sister. I stuck my tongue out, I had a mental picture of that now—Gross.

"Is it hard, seeing all that stuff all the time?" I shrugged.

"I ignore it for the most part."


	7. Chapter 7

"_Due to a disturbance in the cafeteria earlier, dinner will be served in the common room._" I sighed and rolled out of bed.

Kurt should be back soon! That made having to get up from my comfy bed worth it.

I pulled on my boots and staggered out into the hallway. My shoulder was pretty much back to normal now, it still stung a little. Evan had finally acknowledged what happened wasn't his fault. I had gone to sleep off the adrenaline that had fueled my Danger Room exercise.

_Hey! Gwen! Stay where you are! _I stopped.

**_Quentin? What is it? If it's another half-assed riot, don't, I like this place._**

_It's not, I promise._

**_Okay…_**

_Alright._

I turned around to see Quentin, clad in his political rebellion garb, holding a flower. I was wary.

"Hey, Quire… What's up?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to walk with you to dinner, and I brought you this." He held out the flower. I didn't take it.

"Why… what'd you do to it?"

"Nothing, I promise, I just thought I would give it to you."

"Where'd you steal it?"

"I didn't! Just take the damn flower!"

"Thanks," I tucked it behind my ear, it was a blue hibiscus. Krokoa grew it probably.

"It looks good with your hair." He reached out and twirled a lock of my brown hair around his finger.

"Um... thanks Quentin. What's with all the nice…ness?" He dropped his hand.

"I just thought I'd start to try and be nicer to a few people."

"Good, you can be the _benevolent_ dictator."

"Don't ruin my reputation!" He ran his fingers through his bright pink Mo-hawk.

"If you don't tell, I won't."

We reached the common room and it was full chaos.

Teenage mutants were fighting over the food and the teachers were yelling, Head Mistress Pryde looked like she was about to scream. I elbowed my way into the throng and corralled enough food for Evan, Quentin, and I—no small feat.

"Gwendolyn!" Kurt yelled. I dropped the trays of food and turned to see him. Everyone paused for a moment and let him walk to me. He looked angry… almost.

"Kurt!" He wrapped his arms around me and teleported us to the hallway.

"How did you get shot?!" He whispered angrily. I shrugged.

"It was an accident, I was training and the program glitched, but look!" I pulled off my jacket and wrenched up my sleeve to show him my shoulder. "I'm fine. How did you find out?"

"You still were playing with fire! Here, it was your shoulder, what if next time it's your heart, or your head? Are you always playing roulette on which power your body with use to protect you?" His voice was rising in intensity and I knew how scared he was for me. How much he loved me.

"Kurt…" I couldn't meet his eyes. "I was just expanding my powers, so I could impress you and your friends, and I could go with you on the missions." He sighed.

"You impress me every moment we are together."

"Tell that to your friends, I know their thoughts."

"Hey kids, everything jake out here?" Wolverine slumped against the doorframe; I saw and sensed everyone crowded around the doors to listen to our conversation.

"Yes, Mr. Logan." Kurt and I said in unison.

"Well, then come back on in and eat," he walked back in. Kurt took my hand and we walked back in.

_So, are you and blue boy okay? _Quentin asked. I touched the flower behind my ear.

**_Ya, he didn't like the fact that I got shot earlier._**

_You got shot?_

**_Long story._**

_You okay?_

**_Of course._**

_Okay._

Evan watched me, I smiled for him. His blue eyes flashed with curiosity.

"Here you two go." I was handed a tray of food.

"Thanks."

Not exactly my dream anniversary, but I don't think that really means anything unless you're married.

I sighed and got up to get ready for the first day of school. Celeste was no longer my roommate, I'd moved down a few rooms. I was a senior.

I pulled on my blazer and sighed.

"Hey Gwen!" Evan waved and ran to meet me.

"Hey Evan," I rubbed my eyes, I didn't feel so hot, in the Danger Room yesterday I had changed into a aqueous being and it really tired me out. Every time I changed my body, I felt really tired.

"What's your first hour class?" I pulled out my schedule and handed it to him. Kurt hadn't met me outside my room this morning, which was weird.

"Do we have the same class?" I asked, he nodded.

"What's wrong?" His eyes were watching me intently, he always knew when something was up with me.

"Yesterday's Danger Room exercise, the water thing really drained me."

"You need to take it easy, seriously, the rate you're going, your powers can't keep up with the damage you're putting on your body." I shrugged.

"Do we have any other classes together?" We rounded the corner and I stopped, I was really exhausted.

"A few, here, let's stop for a second, you look really sick." I sat down on the bench.

"Okay," I rubbed my eyes.

"Maybe you should stay in bed today…" I stood back up continued walking. Evan kept his eyes on me.

"I'll be fine; I have to go to class."

"You need to take it easy…"


	8. Chapter 8

"…There is a 47.9% that you will devour 4 of you classmates in that time." Deathlok said. I was half asleep beside Evan when he asked about his future. I looked up and saw the glimmer of horror in the cyborg's eye. Oh no…

"This concludes the lecture for today." Evan stood up and ran off after him. I was too tired to run after him. I slept through the rest of the class.

"Evan?" I called. The Library was dark except for one corner. I ran over there. The tangy scent of sulfur matches hung in the air.

I walked over to him, he had been striking matches and watching them burn down.

I didn't want to utter the word that the fire glimmering in his eyes brought to mind.

_Apocalypse._

"There you are," I sat down across from him.

"Hey," he was really deep in thought.

"What did Deathlok say?" I put my hand over the box of matches before he could pick another one up.

"I don't want to talk about it." He put the matches back into his backpack.

"You don't have to; I'm just here for you." He shrugged his back pack on and left the library.

_Kurt? _I asked in my mind, it was getting late and I still hadn't seen him.

**_Yes, Gwendolyn?_**

_Are you okay? I haven't seen you today._

**_Ya, I've just been hanging out._**

_Okay, I was just a little worried, but you're alright, right?_

**_Of course Meine Libebe, where are you?_**

_Walking back to my room, why? _

I didn't even need to ask, he was going to teleport to me. I turned to see him wearing a suit jacket and tie. I smiled because he was his normal blue self, twitchy tail and all.

"What's …up?" I asked him, he took my hand and teleported us somewhere; he covered my eyes so I couldn't see.

"I forgot about our anniversary, why didn't you chew me out? I was a total ass to you! I'm so sorry." He uncovered my eyes to reveal a table with candles and silver settings, the whole nine yards in a private room of some swanky restaurant.

"Wow…" He pulled out my chair for me. Before he sat down and called the waiter over, he turned on his holographic transmitter. Fake Kurt. I smiled, I knew he liked looking normal, but I hated it when he wasn't himself.

"So what would you like to dine upon this evening?" Kurt gestured for a waiter to walk over to us. I shrugged and ordered the first thing I read. When the man had taken our orders and left, I leaned over to Kurt and kissed him. Turning his holographic projector off.

"Why'd you do that?" He went to turn it back on.

"I like it better when you look like yourself." He smiled.

"I always wear it for you, so you can date a normal looking person."

"I wouldn't ever want a normal guy." His face lit up with a smile.

"I love you," he said as he raised his glass.

"I love you, too." We clicked our glassed together in a toast.

It turned out to be a pretty good anniversary after all.

I padded down to the kitchen, still half asleep, Krakoa was snoring; I felt it in my subconscious. Sometimes, telepathy sucked. I grabbed a cup from the cabinet and almost ran into the carton of milk hovering in midair. It dropped on the counter with a splash.

_Quentin?_

**_Of course._**

_What are you doing up? _I yawned.

**_Krakoa… he's snoring and I can't block it out._**

_An Omega having trouble blocking out a living rock? That's funny. _I poured some milk out in my glass and put it back in the fridge.

**_Har har. You're reaching an Omega level._**

I snorted.

**_No, really, I was eavesdropping on some of the thoughts in the teacher's lounge and they're all excited about your potential._**

_Ya, I'm sure. _I was looking through the pantry for something good to go with my milk.

**_Grab the bag of cookies Glob stashes in the sage jar. _**I popped the top off and pulled out a bag of brownie cookies.

_How'd you…? Never mind, I don't want to know._

**_Back to your power potential._**

_I'm not going to be an Omega Gang thug. So don't even bother asking._

**_I wasn't going to ask you that, even though this washed-up faculty of losers will need a good gang to combat again…_**

_I like it here, Quentin, don't destroy this place, it's my home._

He shrugged.

_Want to go watch TV in the common room?_

**_Nothing better to do around here._**

_Okay._

I plopped down on the couch and flipped on the television. The school only allowed on certain channels, but with all the tech-junkies, we now have more channels than international space organizations.

"Gwen, what are you doing up?" Rachel Grey asked me from the hallway.

"Oh, I'm sorry Professor Grey, I just couldn't sleep because of Krakoa; my telepathy is still picking up his snoring." She nodded.

"Stupid rock. Don't screw around or anything; I don't want everyone else up."

"Okay, I won't." She walked back down the hall. Quentin jumped over the back of the couch beside me.

_Can you use your powers right now? _Quentin asked, picking dirt from underneath his fingernails.

**_Which one? _**I dunked a cookie in the milk, the person who had held this glass last was Doop. His mind was messed up, but he did a lot for us students that were only behind the scenes.

_Adaptive reaction._

**_No._**

_Why not? Can't you just make any power you want?_

**_Not really… I just ADAPT to the situation._**

_I think you could use any power your imagination could think up._

**_Whatever. _** I flipped through the stations and he stretched his arm along the back of the couch. Almost an intimate gesture, but it wasn't touching me, so it was just a boy-thing.


	9. Chapter 9

I was alone in the Danger Room; it was my daily ritual to spend my study hall period in there pushing my powers to the limit. It exhausted me, but I felt like I was getting closer to having a control over which adaptions I had.

Kurt and some of the other graduate students were on a mission to free some mutant prisoners from some super villain in some backwards corner of the universe. He never had time to tell me the details anymore.

I was trying to make my skin turn into diamond-hard composite. Ever since Quentin had told me I should be able to make myself use my powers like Mimic.

I was about to get it when the painful needle-like projectiles that were about to rain down on me when the entire program stopped.

"Computer, why has the program stopped?"

"The program has stopped, Gwen, because you need to go see Dr. McCoy right now."

"Evan, c'mon, I just need to finish this exercise, I'm fine."

"I'm really worried about you, just go for me," I sighed and scratched at my palm, I had made myself turn into the female equivalent of the Human Torch. My skin was peeling horribly after that.

"Fine."

"Evan, you're growing up," I pouted from the medical bed. He was taller and broader in his shoulders than he had been when I met him this summer.

"Ya, I guess I have." He shrugged and pulled at his jacket. I sighed.

"Doctor McCoy, what's exactly wrong with her?"

"Well she's been working herself too hard again, only this time your powers aren't 'turning off' the way they should." I scratched my palm and a flake of dried skin peeled off.

"How can I fix that?" I had made a removable skin for one of the exercises and it wasn't wearing off.

"Time heals all wounds."

"Does that mean no Danger Room for a few days…?"

"It means, Gwendolyn, that you are suspended from all Danger Room access until I clear you for duty."

"What? But Dr. McCoy! How am I supposed to be the X-Man I want to be when you won't let me train?" I burst out.

"When you give your body a rest, I'll talk to your teachers to see if they'll start training you after school, and then you'll be learning more about your powers and molding them the _right_ way." I crossed my arms and huffed.

"Can I train with her?" Evan asked.

"I'm sure that will not be a problem, Evan."

"Kurt!" I waved him over. It was the first time I'd seen him in the hallways at school this year.

"Gwen, I have something really amazing to tell you!" He grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly.

"What is it? Tell me!"

"I'm being assigned to the excavation team for Genosha!" Genosha's history was one of pain and suffering, but also of hope and rebirth. After Magneto destroyed the prison camps, he left the ruins and rebuilt a shining utopia where mutants could be proud of whom they were. Being able to excavate some of the artifacts would be a great experience for Kurt.

"That's awesome, when are you leaving?"

"Right after school, the rest of the group was picked from all over the world and they want us to get to work as soon as possible."

"Right…after…school? Are you going to be back for the dance Saturday?" It was the first dance the school was holding this year; I had been excited from the get-go.

"Oh, no… I'm so sorry, Gwen." He shoved his hands in his pockets self-consciously, I could see him beating himself up inside about it.

"Okay, whatever, it wasn't that big of a deal anyway." I rubbed the corner of my eye, trying not to cry.

"I'm sorry, I totally forgot about it." I shrugged and tried to put on a smile, but I couldn't do that right now. _How could he have forgotten?_

"I have to go to class, see you after school." I pushed past him and hurried into my classroom.


	10. Chapter 10

"… You're going to be gone for the rest of the school year?" I watched a little beetle crawl over the grass.

"Yes, we're collecting what remains of the work camps. It'll be a lot of important work."

"Do you still want to be in a relationship with me then? I don't want you to think that you're cheating when really it's only logical that you'd see other people when you're halfway around the world."

He hesitated before answering.

"Gwen…"

"I'll get my stuff out of your room."

"Wait!" He called as I walked away.

"Yes, Kurt?" I took a shaky breath. I didn't want to break up with him, I just knew that we were growing apart and he'd meet someone new.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way."

"No, it was going to happen eventually," he touched my arm.

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye." I walked up to his room, took the stuff I left in there for when I slept over out and walked down to my room, stiff-lipped.

It was only when the lock on my door clicked, and the reality hit did I break down.


	11. Chapter 11

_Junk-Girl! Where are you?_

**_Not now, Quire, I'm in no mood for you._**

_What's wrong?_

**_Why do you even ask? You'll read my mind anyway._**

_I thought it would be polite. _I snorted. My eyes were itchy and red from crying.

**_Can you just leave me alone?_**

_Apocalypse junior is worried about you, I promised him I'd find out where you were for him._

**_Evan… Why are you doing that for him?_** I sat up and combed through my hair with my fingers, I had been burled up in a ball on my bed for the afternoon.

_I just thought I was being nice. Do you want to go somewhere? You need to get out of the school for a while; your mind is as crazy as a bag full of cats._

**_Thanks, but no thanks, you know what's wrong, I just want to be alone right now._**

_But you shouldn't be._

Someone was banging on my door. I walked over and looked on the view screen.

"Quentin?"

"Open up the door or I'll break it down." He threatened. I unlocked it and he pushed his way in.

"Why are you here?" His pink hair was all frazzled and his blazer was in his arms, something was wriggling madly inside it.

"Brought you a gift. Here," He tossed me the bundle. I scrambled to grab it.

"What is it?" I sat it down on the bed and a furry animal scampered out.

"I got it from the bowels of Krakoa, a very rare species." I wrinkled my nose at his description.

"The bowels you say?" The animal was burrowing under my blankets and stopped, deciding that spot was the best.

"Does it make you feel better?" I laughed half-heartedly. .

I scooped the little fur-ball up and it nuzzled my cheek. "Ya, but can I keep it? I don't think that I can have pets.

"What are the Bamfs classified as?"

"Good point."

"Now c'mon, you're going to get over that blue rat faster than glob Herman on a bowl of candy.


	12. Chapter 12

_Thursday,_

We were sitting on the roof eating ice cream that the food blimp had spit out.

"So are you still going to the dance Saturday?" Evan asked me as he bit off the corner of his ice cream bar.

"I don't know, are you?"

"Ya," he paused, "Would you want to dance with me?"

"Evan…" I wasn't looking for another boyfriend right now.

"Not as like a date, or anything, just dance with me so I'm not awkwardly standing on the sidelines.

"Okay, ya, that sounds like fun." I shrugged and leaned against his shoulder. His arm wrapped around me and I let him hold me.

"Do you miss him?" He asked after a while.

"Yes and no," I leaned into his chest, his arm tightened around me.

"How's that?" I felt more like a brotherly connection to him more than a passionate love.

"I knew we'd have to break up sooner or later, we were growing apart, and I knew he'd probably get assigned somewhere far away since he's graduated now." I tossed my Popsicle stick into the air and flipped my wrist, the stick burnt for a moment and floated down in ash.

_Neat trick._

**_Quen, where are you?_**

_Chilling out on the lawn. _

**_Are you going to the dance?_**

_Maybe to crash it, you?_

**_Ya, I need to use the dress I found for something good._**

_Are you going with baby Apocalypse?_

**_As friends, why?_**

_Just wanted to know if I needed to wear a fire-proof tux is all._

**_Don't be mean._**

_ I'm not-_

"Excuse me," Evan asked. I turned to look up at him.

"Ya?"

"Are you talking to Quentin?" I nodded. "Okay, well I have to go get help with my math homework, see you later."

"Bye, Evan," he smoothed down my hair and kissed the top of my head.

_He just kissed you._

_**The top of my head… why Mr. Quire, I do believe you're jealous.**_

_Come find me and I'll give you more than a kiss on the head._

_**Gross. Just don't send me any of the pictures I know are floating around in your head.**_

****_Come and find me anyway._

_**Because I have nothing else to do, I'll half-heartedly try and find you, Kid Omega.**_

****_See you soon._

I walked down the steps and out onto the quad. Where would Quire be hiding? I strolled past the statue of Jean Grey.

I walked around a pine tree, smack dab into a sign that read 'Send More Sentinels!' I had found Quentin Quire.

_I see you found me._

**_Oh. My. God. _**Quentin was wearing nothing but a tight bright yellow speedo with a radioactive symbol over his crotch. He had his headphones on leaning back in a lawn chair.

_ Most women say that when they see me. _I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

**_I'm sorry, why did you want to see you like this?_**

****_I needed someone to _appreciate_ me like this._

I shrugged and sat down between his legs on the chair. He put his hands on my shoulders and pulled me back so I was lying on him.

**_What's up with you, Quire?_**

****_I do truly like you, Gwennie, and I think you're the most talented mutant I know._

_**Besides yourself, and your Omega Gang.**_

****_No, you're powers are very unique. Adaptive mutation, psychometetry, telepathic powers, I don't have conversations like this with everyone, you know._

_**You're insane. Seriously, Quentin Quire, you misjudge my power immensely. And most of the time you coerce people to do your bidding, so do you invade everyone's privacy. **_

****_Just wait, when I get Beast to put you and me in the same training group, we'll be unstoppable. _

_**Har Har, you really think I'll make a team? Between Idie, Evan, Broo, Indra, and you, there's pretty much no-contest from anyone else. **_I shifted and he pulled his headphones out. 

_ Just wait, and get up, a teacher's coming. _I stood up and looked at the sign again.

**_You shouldn't joke about that, those things have killed a lot of people. _**He shrugged.

_I don't joke, I want to kick those mutant haters' asses._

_**So do I.**_

****_I'll show you mine if you show me yours. _

_**WHAT?! **_

****_Not like that, I didn't know girls were that pervey. _

_**Then what did you mean? **_

****_Why you hate Homo Sapiens, I'll show you my story if you show me yours._

_**Maybe some other time, I have to get going; I have a tutoring session with Cannonball in a little bit.**_

****_I'll hold you to that memory._

_**Bye.**_


	13. Chapter 13

I patted my curls one more time. My dress was literally telling me its story, from when it was sewn in New York-that's why I picked it-it was old, and beautiful. It had belonged to a girl when she was my age, but it was during the 40's; her father was in the army, and the boy she loved was being shipped out. It was a very awesome story. The biggest reason I chose this dress from the store was that the girl who lost her father, and gained a war-hardened husband, was a mutant. Nothing fancy, just a little telekinesis, but she knew she was special. And that feeling of self-worth made me feel better.

Someone knocked at my door.

"Come in, Evan." I clasped my necklace and turned to greet him. He was holding a corsage in a plastic box and had a smile on his face.

"Hey, Gwen," he was so tall now, no less than six-foot-five, if more. His genetic armor had his frame wide and strong.

I pulled out the little white rose I had gotten and pinned it to his lapel. I felt his hard bio-tech under his shirt. I'd seen it once when he was training; and he really looked like Apocalypse then.

"I've been thinking about this dance…"

"What about it?" I grabbed his hand and pulled him out into the hallway.

"If this doesn't go well, I have the common room ready for an all night movie marathon of cult classics with popcorn with milk duds and ice cream floats." He ruffled his hair. I playfully punched his arm,

"Everything will be perfect you goob. Now come one, let's take a picture before we go. +

I walked into the ballroom on Evan's arm. The dance was in full swing, there was grinding and couples making out in the corners, the teachers were rolling their eyes.

"You ready to get your groove thing on?" I asked him over the music.

"They don't dance like this in Kansas…" I pulled him into the mosh pit.

"Well Toto, it's a good thing we're not in Kansas anymore!"

"_Just looking out on the day of another dream," _the song made me smile and Evan pulled me closer.

_Well you can't get what you want, but you can get me._

_**Quentin? Please get out of my head, I'm dancing. **_

****_Not until you dance with me._

_**Next song.**_

****_I'll keep you to that._

I looked up at Evan. His pale face wasn't scary; it made me realize that he could save humanity just as easily as he could destroy it. He's so sweet. His blue eyes showed his brotherly love towards me.

"Quentin was in your head, right then, wasn't he?"

"He just pops up sometimes."

"Okay."

"Tonight's been really fun, Evan."

"I'm glad you're happy." The music stopped. Over the smell of unwashed teenage boys and too strong perfume, there was the sharp scent of brimstone. Kurt! I looked around. The crowd had parted and Kurt was standing at the end. I turned to see the kids on my other side had separated so Quentin stood at the opposite end facing him.

"Kurt! What are you doing?" He shrugged and started walking to me. Quire did the same.

"Yo! Elf-boy, you aren't supposed to be here, so bamf back to where you came from." I just wanted to be invisible.

"Gwen," Evan whispered, "what are you going to do?"

"Can you stop this?" I asked him.

"I think this is your problem." I walked between the two guys before Quentin could hurt Kurt or vice versa.

The boys froze in place. I knew that the others were watching me.

"Stop, just stop." I made them float after me into the hallway. I dropped them onto the ground. They dusted themselves up and took up a fighting stance again. I sighed.

"Kurt, why are you here? Quen, stand down." Evan leaned against the wall; he was just there in case I needed a quick escape.

"Meine Liebe, I didn't mean what I said; I still want to be with you!" I looked at his blue furry face, I had loved him, but he and I had been growing apart for a while.

"Kurt," I touched his face. "you're going to be living in Genosha for a year." He looked away. "One year is a long time, if you still feel as strongly as you do now, then, we will see each other again and then we will need to see if our feelings for each other are still there."

"I just thought… I don't know, I'm sorry for spoiling your evening, I won't bother you again." He teleported away.

"Crap." I turned to Quentin, glaring at him.

_What?_

_**You know what. What the hell was that in there? You were about to attack Kurt in the middle of the dance!**_

****_So? I felt like kicking some elf-ass…_

_**So?! Quentin, I'm so tired of this, I just wanted one night of fun, that's all.**_

****_I'm… sorry. _I was taken aback; Kid Omega didn't apologize… ever! His sincerity was charming.

**_Um… I really don't know what to say. _**

****_Just say that you'll still dance with me._

_**We'll go back in and see how it goes.**_

****_Okay._

I'm sure that my fight with Quentin was the quietest fight ever. We just glared at each other, but somehow it was the angriest I had been in a long time. Angrier than when my parents cast me out, like some mongrel dog, angrier than I had been when I was alone on the streets.

Evan pulled me back onto the dance floor. The people avoided me a little. But I ignored them. It was ironic that one fight could alienate a mutant at an all mutant school.

"Are you okay?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Ya, I think so," he nodded. The song switched to a slow one. Quentin butted in and took my hand; he wasn't tall, like Evan, or strong like Kurt. I brushed a spike of his pink hair out of his eyes.

_Is this okay? Am I doing it right? _He mocked.

**_You sound like you're losing your virginity, stop._**

****_Okay, so what about this, I really want to know if it's okay. _He dipped me backwards and brushed his lips against mine awkwardly. I pulled away and looked at him, trying to shut my mind off from his.

_What was wrong with that?_


	14. Chapter 14

"Hellkat, why does it seem that when I was home, guys didn't want anything to do with me, and now I've mucked up everything?" I picked up the furry creature and it nuzzled my neck as I lay down on my bed. Kicking off my heels and pulling out my bobby pins, ignoring the stories of the people who manufactured them both, and the people who had all touched them, this power was fun for a bit, but it was very annoying sometimes. I lazily flopped my hand over to turn on my iPod, my earphones were over my ears and blocking out everything except Greg Cipes serenading me from his _Conscious Revolution_ album.

I didn't even hear anyone knock at my door until the song ended, Hellkat hid under my pillow, he's very smart.

"Come on in, Evan."

"Just wanted to see if you were okay, you left in a hurry." I nodded and flopped back down on my bed.

"Can I ask you something?"

He spun around on my desk chair, "Of course, go ahead."

"Did I do the right thing tonight? Letting Kurt go?"

"Maybe, but I think it was kinda silly for him to show up like that in the middle of the dance like that. Very MTV of him." I waved him over to the bed. Hellkat's shackles raised in fear. I sat up and leaned against his shoulder, he wrapped his arm around me.

"Do you like me, like the way you like Quentin?" He was very shy in his question.

"No," his eyes were filled with sadness. I knew that I had always like Evan more than anyone else, he was sweet and kind and good.

"Oh, okay."

"Do you feel what we have? The trust? The friendship? You're more of my guardian, my protector; we are like Cloak and Dagger, you and I." I pressed my lips against his temple. His metal plated arms wrapped around me protectively.

"How about that movie marathon now? I wanted to do that from the beginning."

"If you put milk duds in the popcorn, sure."

We could hear the Dance still pounding through the walls in the common room. I was stretched out along the couch looking blankly at the TV screen. Evan was sleeping in the recliner.

I was thinking about my life. It started out normally enough, just some kid born in the middle of nowhere to a middle class family who had their rough patches. It was just me and my older brother; he's a homo sapien by the way. I was a normal little girl up until about puberty, and then I was screwed. One night, my parents were fighting. Over money or bills or me or jobs or something, I don't remember, but I started saying everything in a different language, it was when my powers of linguistics manifested, my parents shut up and stared at me. The realized what had happened and decided that I should be locked up. So after a few struggling years of being bounced around from place to place, they told me to hit the road.

I got as far as Baltimore, and that's where they found me, sleeping in an abandoned shed in a housing development. I was cold, dirty, and hungry. And when I tried to run away, Kurt teleported to me. He was his blue demonic self and he reassured me and gave me a kind smile and I was hooked.

"What're you doing?" Quentin was leaning against the doorframe watching me.

"Thinking, what happened to you?" I sat up to assess his damage; his tux was crumpled, his bowtie untied, his hair mused.

"Long story," He moved to the floor in front of the television and plopped down, mentally making the popcorn float to him from the table.

"I have time."

"I was mobbed by the girls once you left." I turned my face away in a moot attempt to hide my feeling of jealousy.

"Woh, cage the emotions over there, my brain's about to explode already without your girly junk blowing it up." He looked over at me and I turned all the way over, facing the back cushions of the couch. "My god, you're jealous!" He laughed.

"No, I am not jealous, Quentin Quire." I heard him get up and walk around the couch.

"Really? You understand how amazingly hard it is to lie to a telepath? And you, dear sweet Gwendolyn, are a horrible liar." I looked up at him with his pink hair and amazing eyes. I acted like he wasn't all that and a bag of chips, and flipped over to watch the movie some more. He jumped over the back of the couch and sat close to me. My heart hammered in my chest, I couldn't help myself. I looked over at him and back to the TV. He put his fingers under my chin and turned my head so I was facing him. He leaned in and instinctively I did the same, him breath was warm on my lips, just before we kissed though, he pulled back.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, nothing, I just…" He dropped his hand from my face and turned away.

"Seriously Quentin, just tell me." He sighed heavily and blushed.

"I… I'm nervous, and I don't want to embarrass myself."

I laughed out loud and Evan stirred in his sleep. "Kid Omega… Nervous about kissing a girl!? Lordy call the presses, somebody get this on tape." I felt his forehead. "No fever, why would you want to kiss me for? You got enough sugar tonight from everyone else." He looked at me and smiled wickedly.

"I want to show you something, come on." He pulled me up and I ran with him to the courtyard. He stood out in the cool grass of the evening and held out a hand for me to take.

"What are you going to do?" He shrugged and kept that big grin on his face.

"Just c'mon," He reached and grabbed my hand. "Kick off your shoes, you won't need them." I did as I was instructed and Quentin pulled me so I was standing on his feet, up close, I realized that Quentin was a little taller than me. He was wearing these round glasses that made him look like hipster, or a hippie or something and I pulled them off his face. I felt the ground shift beneath us and then I realized we were floating in the air. I grappled onto Quentin tighter, even though I could grow wings in an instant.

"If you start singing Disney songs, I will beat you up." He smirked and just started casually walking in the air, I noticed a red-ish pink mist around us, I reached out and it engulfed my hand and swirled like fog. I turned back to Quentin and smiled.

"You know, this is the longest verbal conversation we've had."

"I know, I just thought it would impress you."

"You… trying to impress… me?"

"Shush, if the ladies hear you, they might be so overcome with emotion, they might die!" He joked.


	15. Chapter 15

_Gwen, concentrate, you can't have every telepath just bombarding your mind all the time._ Rachel Grey yelled at me in my head.

I cringed as she dug up my past memories, I was trying to shut her out, but it wasn't working, I wasn't very strong with my telepathy, but I didn't really use it that much either.

_Try harder! Do you think that any of our enemies will take it easy on you? Do you think that they are above using your memories against you? _She made me see my family's disgust when I started speaking in foreign languages, the look on Kurt's friend's faces when we were together.

**_Stop it!_**

****_Not until you can shut my mind out!_

I pushed myself my brain felt like it was about to explode. I could turn down her volume, but I still felt her in my head. I clenched my teeth together and tried harder. Nothing could keep me from passing this exam; I'd been trying too hard to not get back on the Danger Room list.

**_I said stop!_**

****I couldn't hear Professor Grey anymore, I opened my eyes and she was smiling.

"I did it?"

"Congrats, you're officially part of the team." I fist pumped and started jumping around.

"So I'm an X-man now?"

"An X-man in training, yes." I thanked her again and ran out to the hall. Evan was waiting for me. I jumped up and hugged him, he swung me around.

"So you passed?"

"I'm on the team!" He kissed my forehead.

"You deserve it more than anyone." I had a pounding headache from working with Rachel; she was never going to make it easy on me.

"Did they post the team rosters?" He nodded and I pulled him to go find them outside Headmaster Logan's office.

There was a mass of people huddled in front of the papers tapes to the wall.

_We're on the same team._

_**Really? I'm on alpha; won't you be on the Omega team with Idie? **_

****_We're all on the same team. _I tried to shove my way to the list.

**_Who else is with us? _**I caught a glimpse of the paper, but it wasn't enough to see any names. I heard the others grumbling about what team they were on.

"Friend Gwendolyn, would you mind terribly if I asked you to lift me up so I can see the papers?" Broo adjusted his glasses and I picked him up.

"Which team are you on?"

"Fascinating… You can put me down now, I have memorized the charts."

"So?" He took my hand and pulled me out of the throng.

Adjusting his glasses again, "I am on the Alpha team; along with you, Genesis, friend Quire, friend Idie, Indra, and our leaders will be Professor LeBeau and Professor Rouge, with advisory from Wolverine and Headmistress Pryde."

"Sleazy really did memorize the list." Quire walked over with a ton of attitude.

"His name is Broo, Quentin Quire." Idie put her hands on Broo's shoulders.

Quentin made eye contact with me and smirked.

_Looks like we'll be spending a lot of time together, Junk-Girl._

_**We will be working with our team, so yes, as a team; we will be spending a lot of time together.**_

****_Dibs on sleeping in your tent when we go on our team trip to Genosha._

_**What do you mean? **_

****_Didn't you hear? The Graduates all invited the school to go there for a field trip there, now that we've been organized into teams, not classes, we'll turn it into a training exercise. I hear there are hundreds of secret tunnels under the city. _He was implying stuff with thoughts he was sending me.

_**And? Are we going to go practice using Psy-links over long distances? **_I wouldn't fall for his bait.

"Excuse us, you two," Idie said. "I think we need to go find our instructors." She waved her hand in front of my face; I really had to be able to hold more than one conversation at a time.

"You go on ahead; I want to talk to Gwen for a little bit." The others went along their merry way.

"You just manipulated them! Why?"

_Because, I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go into the city with me instead of going to class, I hear that the Christmas decorations are awesome._

_**Maybe Saturday… we need to go meet up with our team, Quen—**_

****_You're the only person I let call me Quen, did you know that?_

_**No but-**_

****_I really want you to like me, but it wouldn't be sporting if I just manipulated you into it._

_**But Quen, I just… Kurt, you know? He broke my heart.**_

****_I would never do that, I can show you… _He tried to push his way into my mind but I just made eye contact with him and he stopped.

_**I'm going to class. **_

****_I'll walk with you._

His eyes met mine again and my heart thudded against my chest. He's a stupid boy, but he made me feel dangerous and powerful and all sorts of wicked things. I shrugged and he walked me to class.

I was standing on the edge of the roof, my arms spread wide. The wind was picking up with the coming storm. I wanted that rush of the unknown—I could die, I could fall, anything, it was so much more dangerous than the Danger Room. The rain spattered down onto my upturned hands.

I wished Kurt was here to see this, I bet I looked so badass right now.

"Gwendolyn, get down here right now!" Evan yelled from the ground. I backed up a few feet and flipped over the ledge of the roof, sprouting giants feathered wings as I free fell to the earth, the billowing storm winds caught in my wings and I landed softly on the ground, I shook my shoulder blades and the wings dissipated into swirling mounds of feathers, twisting in the wind and rain.

"Seriously? Was that necessary? No. Now c'mon, if you've forgotten, we have a Danger Room session tonight."

I sighed, Evan felt like he had to prove himself to everyone in the school, so he wanted to be the best in our team. But I loved my team, I worked great with all of them, Idie and I had become close friends, Broo was so smart about everything! I didn't know anyone could retain that much knowledge.

Evan and Quentin didn't get along, which wasn't surprising, they were both Alpha males and both felt like they could lead our team.

I would never have told Quentin this, he'd grown so much these last few months and he was so hot. His hair more of just pink shag over his head and I had to resist the urge to run my fingers through it. He hadn't grown just physically though, as much as he hid it, he was a great guy, he stopped trashing the school all the time, even the teachers started to like him, a little.

_Hey Gwen, wait outside the danger room for a second; I want to talk to you._

_**Hurry up; you know how Gambit and Rogue are when anyone's late…**_

_Well here I am, Belle Femme. _He mocked Gambit's southern accent and I tried to hide my grin. Evan was already inside with the others.

**_What was so important you needed to talk to me?_**

****_I just uh… one second._

_**I'm waiting…**_

****"Here, these are for you." A bouquet of lush red roses were thrust into my hands.

"Thanks… but, uh, Quentin, why?"

"I want to go out with you." He stared into my eyes, and mine widened in surprise.

"What?"

"I want to be your boyfriend, for a homo superior; I sure had to spell it out for you."

"Quentin…"

"Gwen! Quire! Get your royal mutant butts in here this instant!" Professor Rogue yelled at us, I sat my flowers in my locker ran into the Danger Room.

"Look who decided to join us, the two lovebirds." I gritted my teeth. Indra could be a brat sometimes. Quentin swaggered in and took his position as point of the group. The two professors were bickering in the booth and Quentin yelled for them to start. They glared down at him and pressed the button on the intercom, "Today's lesson is to learn how to work together when one 'a your own turns against you." Gambit took ahold of the microphone.

"The teammate who's going to turn against you is Gwen, 'cause she's just about unbeatable…." I sighed, but then I looked up at the booth and they were both grinning at me and giving me thumbs up. I broke formation and went to stand facing my team.

Quentin gave me a little smirk, he knew my telepathic powers were no match for his. But I would show him.

"Here, let's set the mood." Rogue and Remy turned on the holoprojectors so the Room looked like a large cage match octagon.

"Ready? Gwen, don't take it easy on them." Gambit reassured me. I raised my fists and stood ready to fight.

My mind was flooded with a memory that wasn't mine. It was me, and Quentin, sitting under the stars on a blanket. The way he looked at me, the passion in his eyes at every word I said, I felt myself smile. He leaned in for a kiss and I realized that it was Quentin in my head. I had to shake this fake memory away.

_Get out of my head, Quentin. _And he did, I opened my eyes and starred at him. I bit my lip and unleashed a power burst of water that slammed Quire backwards and the next two rushed up to try to incapacitate me.

Idie and Broo fought tooth and nail but in the end I ended up having to web them together like Spiderman, but my web shooters were biological.

Indra grew into a beast like size but I matched him pace for pace and knocked him out cold.

Now it was Evan, he wasn't moving, just looking at me.

"C'mon Evan," He shook his head; I shrunk down to my regular size and walked to him. "It's okay, you won't hurt me." He shook his head.

"No, I refuse to fight you." He said quietly. I looked up at the booth.

"Evan, it's just part of the training exercise; you need to fight her, to find your strengths and weaknesses. It's only a training session. Please just do it." Rogue insisted. I took my fighting stance and Evan half-heartedly did the same. I broke formation and walked over to him, I hugged him and told him I would be fine, I promised he wouldn't hurt me. I went back over to my spot and he started to wrap his biometallic arms around me to just incapacitate me, I tried to fight my way out but it wasn't working, I was confused, I was trying to turn into a slithery gelatinous form but I couldn't. I tried to do anything and I couldn't Evan's grip on me was tight, so tight I was having a hard time breathing. I couldn't move at all.

"Evan!" I choked out. He immediately released me and I fell to my knees, coughing. He ran to me and I held up a hand to keep him away.

"Gwen, are ya okay suga'?" Rogue asked me. I nodded and stood up.

"Yeah, let's keep going, I don't know what happened but I'm fine now."

"If ya sure…" I got back into a defensive pose and nodded.

My powers worked fine for the session.

I grabbed the flowers from my locker and walked through the courtyard to my room. Evan needed some help with his science homework so he had to run right after practice.

_Wait for me. _I stopped under one of the weeping willow trees.

Quentin walked up and starred me in the eyes.

_What happened in there?_

_**I don't know… I really don't know. **_He hugged me and I sighed. Tomorrow we were leaving for Genosha and I would see Kurt for the first time in months. Quentin and I had never kissed, we'd come close but then one thing or another got in the way. He readjusted his arms and held me closer.

_I meant what I said earlier. I want to take care of you, I want to be your man._

_**Quentin, I… I just need time, can you give me that? I need to figure out myself before I go throwing you into the flames with me. **_

****_I understand, but maybe a romantic trip through the ruins of Genosha will change your mind. _He walked me to my door and we stood in the hall, telepathically talking about everything, I realized I didn't want to let him go. There was a soft scratching noise from behind my door, I opened it to Hellkat jumping up and down and shaking, which I had come to understand was the little fuzzball's version of a wagging tail. I picked him up and petted him. Quentin sneered at the thing.

**_Oi! Don't look at my… pet like that._**

****_It bit me when I found it for you, in a very personal place._

_**Oh. **_I put Hellkat back in my room and closed the door. Quen rubbed his neck and awkwardly stood in front of me. I took a step closer to him, he leaned closer to me. I felt his breath warm on my lips.

**_Are you going to make me do all the work?_**

****"Never." He slid his hand around my head and pulled me closer, pressing his lips against mine was insane. I literally saw sparks and light flashing around beneath my eyelids, which was probably him just showing off. He pulled away just a little bit. "Woh."

"Woh is right you crazy boy." I got up on my tip toes and kissed his forehead, brushing his hair out of the way to do so. I waved and shut the door of my room. I clicked on my view screen and I watched Quen do this victory dance thing that involved a lot of fist pumping and moon walking. I just laughed and went to do my homework.


	16. Chapter 16

Our class trip was slated to leave tonight for Genosha. I didn't know what to do; I was still torn between Kurt, and Quentin. I know I flirted and even kissed Quen once but I still really wanted Kurt to want me back. Quentin was still on me about being his "Right hand in the domination of the school population and then the world."

_Professor Xavier paging Gwendolyn; please come to my office. _I stepped backwards off of the ledge and sprinted to the door. I had taken to standing on the ledge of the school whenever I needed to think. The voices of the bricks whispered their story, but I was much better at getting more than specific moments or memories. I also could see the connections of the item to the person who last had it. Hank was astounded every time I went in for a checkup.

I had a frequent visitor card to the infirmary, I was an adrenaline junkie. I loved the high I got from using my powers. It gave Evan a heart attack most of the time but I always manifested an accelerated healing factor, so I was always fine.

Sometimes the voices of the stuff around school became too much, and I would have to fight for my last shred of sanity, but that doesn't happen very much.

I knocked on the heavy wooden door of Professor X's office.

"Come in."

I sat down in one of the wing back chairs. Xavier folded his hands in his lap and looked at me for a moment.

"Have I done something wrong, Professor?"

"No, some of the teachers have approached me about your behavior ever since Mr. Waggoner had been assigned to the excavation of Genosha."

"Sir, I haven't been missing classes, or causing a ruckus, I've even got Quentin to stop trying to over throw the school so much."

"I know, and I'm very happy for this, but I'm more concerned about your frequent stops to the infirmary. Dr. McCoy must report every injury to Logan, Kitty, or I."

"It's nothing; I just like to stretch my powers is all."

"Does this have to do with Kurt leaving?" He looked me in the eyes very seriously.

"No…" I stopped; he'd know I was lying. "Yes, it does. I never felt like I was strong enough, fast enough, or had any spectacular powers that would make Kurt's friends believe I was worthy of his affection."

"I see."

"Now that he's gone, I still have this urge to be stronger, faster, and powerful. And I can get that from the Danger Room."

"Will you make me a promise, Gwendolyn; I need you to promise that you will cut down trying to get that adrenaline high, you are so powerful, and you're team needs you," I sighed and rubbed my eyes. "Nothing would ever be the same if something happened to you. I know that Evan and Kurt both worry over you like mother hens, but you need to hear it from me; Those two boys wouldn't go on if you died or worse," In the world mutants lived in, there were worse things than death, "Even Quire, he's trying so hard not to just manipulate you into sitting down or using telekinesis to make you just stay still. Evan… he's a great boy, he has the potential to save us all, but you and I both know how that could change if he lost his path."

"I understand, sir," what he said finally made it seem real, that I was mortal, even if I could adapt to anything.

"Good, I always want you to help keep an eye on your team, although neither of them will say it, I know Rogue and Gambit are having… issues."

"Nothing that a little more practice won't smooth out," I was having really hilarious conversations with Professor LeBeau about the boys; Indra kept to himself, so of course Quentin was going to pick on him. Evan and I weren't really dating, we weren't really together, but we weren't all the way not together. That didn't mean that Quentin and he didn't get into fights about who was in charge, or me, a lot of the time it was over me, that's when it embarrassed me the most.

I was sitting in a window seat of the Black Bird, waiting for take-off, it wouldn't take very long to get to Genosha. I was so worried about seeing Kurt again.

_What if he's found somebody new?_

**_ He's crazy. _**Quentin was walking down the aisle way to the seat next to me.

****_He has; it's been three months, and he's moved on. _He plopped down beside me and sighed, his pink hair was getting shaggy, now it was more like… dub-step deejay wannabe.

"He's a stupid elf." He plugged in his ear buds and jammed out to his music.

"Evan!" I stood up and waved him over to the seat in front of me, we could turn the chairs around to face each other. He smiled and put his luggage in the overhead compartment.

I felt Quen watching me watch Evan,

_Take a picture, it'll last longer. _I joked.

**_Do you love Evan?_**

****_Yes, in a way, but we aren't in love, you jealous little boy._

He paused and I felt him trying to probe my mind.

_Get out of my memories._

_**Do you love me?**_

****_Why are you asking me this?_

_**Because, I'm a jealous little boy.**_

****I sighed and leaned my head against the window of the plane, we had taken off and I hadn't even noticed.

I pulled my suitcase down the ramp of the black bird with Evan on one side and Quentin on the other.

"Have you seen Gambit and Rogue?" I asked generally to the people around me, the first thing we were supposed to do was set up or team camp in the ruins of the city.

"No, the teachers came earlier today."

It was raining the first time I set foot on Genosha. My heart was pounding out of my chest, _would I see Kurt? _I felt my skin tingle, my emotions were making my adaptive powers wanted to protect me but I wouldn't just shut myself off from the world.

"Over here!" Someone yelled.

The mass of teenage mutants ran out into the rain to meet a group of people who were smart enough to be wearing rain coats or had umbrellas. The rain soaked my shirt, but then, it wasn't. I looked up and saw a faintly pink glowing umbrella blocking the rain from Quentin and me. I looked over at him, without looking back at me he shrugged and smirked. I turned my attention back to the people in the ponchos. I was close to the back of the group, so I could only tell that a girl was speaking to the crowd about where we were going to set up our shelters at, Broo could tell us later. I readjusted my backpack and looked back up to see a flash of black eyes catch mine. _Kurt. _But he looked like a regular teenage, he looked away.

"Is that Kurt?" Evan whispered. His hair was dripping into his face; I slopped it out of his eyes and nodded. He nodded and went back to listening to the speaker.

"… And I want you all to have a great time, you're team sponsors will meet you at the trail head to take you to your respective sites." The rain pounded harder than ever into the sand of the beach. My shoes were soaked; Evan looked like a wet rat, poor kid.

"If you'll follow Kurt, he'll take you to the trail head." I followed the crowd with Quentin at my side, still holding the umbrella made out of his psychic powers. The teachers were standing in a huddle; I heard Rogue and Professor LeBeau arguing over something, everyone knew that the sexual tension between the two of them could be cut with a knife anytime they were close to each other.

I passed Kurt and he stopped me.

"Hey," he said softly, I looked into his eyes; they were the same eyes, regardless of the rest of his body.

"Hey," he held an umbrella over our heads, the rain dripped down around us, and I couldn't focus on anything but Kurt's eyes, his smell, and the fact that I hadn't missed him more than I ever had at this moment. "What's up?" that was so lame.

"I… I missed you, Gwen."

"I missed you, too, Kurt." He leaned in to kiss me, but then someone came over, and she was absolutely glowing. This girl's hair was bright electric blue, her skin was opalescent, I wondered if she was an alien, or just a mutant.

"Hey cutie! Where've you been?" She pushed the umbrella away and kissed him on the lips. I stepped back into the downpour of rain. Kurt caught my eyes between the stranger kissing him and I ran to my group, my breath was catching in my throat. Evan was up in front talking to Idie and Quentin tried to act casual as he walked over to me.

**_Can I lobotomize him from the inside now?_**

****_Shut up._

_**Who's the rainbow child?**_

****_Shut up._

_**Okay. **_He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me back under his psychic umbrella.


End file.
